The Latest from the Family Child Care Chapter

The Supreme Court on March 29 rejected an attempt to stop us from joining together in unions to improve our lives and our communities by ruling against the wealthy special interests behind the Friedrichs v California Teachers Association case.

This is a huge victory for working families!

But the threat is not going away just yet. A handful of billionaires are still funding ballot measures, litigation and legislation – all aimed at stopping us from sticking together.

These wealthy special interests – and groups like the Freedom Foundation here in Washington – don’t want us to unite to make a real difference in our communities.

Why? Because they know when we join together, we win. And they don’t want anyone to stand in the way of their extreme agenda to drive down wages and game the tax system, leaving the rest of us to pick up the tab for fully funding education.

“As a Patient Services Specialist at the University of Washington, I’ve witnessed the power of our collective voice to improve our work environment. Together, we bargained strong contracts and on March 19 we held a great action to keep our U-PASS affordable. It’s because we have a strong union that we can make positive changes.

I am prepared to stand with my brothers and sisters in our union and with working families all over the country. We have to push back and fight. This was a close call, but we have many more to come. We need to show strength in numbers and solidarity to beat back attacks and win at the bargaining table. The only way is for us to be unified.”

Jen Papest, PSS
Radiation Oncology
University of Washington

“As an HVAC Technician at Vancouver School District, I’ve seen the power of K-12 classified staff having a collective voice in our union. Together, we’ve bargained strong contracts, won benefits for our families and made improvements at our jobs.

These corporations and billionaires are trying to destroy unions so they can get more wealth for themselves. If they succeed, our wages will decrease and our benefits, like medical and sick leave, will slowly go away.

We will not let them succeed. This is a battle. But this battle is everybody’s battle, not just a union battle.”

Phil Akerill
HVAC Technician
Vancouver School District

“Groups like the Freedom Foundation are still trying to destroy our union by deceiving us into dropping our membership.

We won’t let that happen. As a Family Child Care Provider, I’ve seen the power we have when we stick together. We’ve been able to win higher subsidy rates and training funds and improve access for children and parents.

Join me in standing strong with our Family Child Care union – SEIU Local 925. We are stronger together.”

During the Leadership Assembly, members recapped recent localwide victories, reviewed some of the current threats against working families and discussed plans to continue building our worker movement.

“It was awesome to see all the purple together. It reinforces how we reengage with our members and our community. We’re fighting for everybody, not just union members. I feel like it lit a spark in me.”Deanna Clark
Program Coordinator, Harborview Medical Center